US5944372A - Pickup body protection apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Protective apparatus for the sidewall of the bed of a pickup truck equipped with tool boxes is disclosed. An elongate rail is mounted to the top of the sidewall by non-invasive means and one or more skirt members may be selectively, detachably mounted to the rail when desired to overlie the sidewall below the tool boxes. In an alternative embodiment a tool box for the bed of a pickup truck has a detachable skirt member mounted to the sidewall of the tool box and depending downward to overlie the truck's sidewall.

Description

This application is a division of application 08/702,104 which was filed Aug. 23, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,307. The disclosure of Ser. No. 08/702,104 is now U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,304 incorporated in this application in its entirety, as if set forth in full.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to protection for the sidewalls of pickup trucks which have an open bed. Many owners of pickup trucks who work in various trades outfit the bed of their trucks with mounted tool boxes which may be elongate and mounted lengthwise to the bed sidewall or transversely mounted, resting on both sidewalls of the pickup bed. When used, such tool boxes are typically accessed by approaching the sidewall of the pickup body, opening the tool box, and reaching into the tool box to remove or replace the desired tools or other objects. It is easy in day-to-day use of the tool boxes for the pickup sidewall to become scratched or inflicted with minor dents while objects are taken from or placed into the bed mounted tool boxes. For the pickup owner who takes pride in the appearance of his vehicle, such imperfections are unacceptable.

One apparatus to protect the sidewall of automobiles on which engine work is being done is disclosed in Olson, et. al., U. S. Pat. No. 5,290,618, where a protective cover is provided for the fender near the engine compartment, the cover being retained to the vehicle by an elastic cord having hooks at opposing ends. Such a device cannot easily be applied to the truck bed sidewall because of a scarcity of available features on which to hook the elastic cord, especially when tool boxes are mounted above the bed's sidewall.

Another apparatus directed to protection of body sidewalls is shown in McNeil, U. S. Pat. No. 5,312,145, wherein a foam sheet is bonded to a magnetic sheet useful to retain the foam protective sheet to the steel body of a vehicle. The device is directed to protection of car door panels in parking lots. Such a device would not be useful for vehicles having composite, nonmetallic body parts. In addition, the magnetic element of the invention will attract metal detritus which can be trapped behind the protective sheet and inflict scratches instead of protecting against them.

The patent to Sugiyama, U. S. Pat. No. 4,734,312, teaches an automobile-body-conformed, semi-rigid protective panel which requires a lug to engage a seam or raised part of the vehicle surface to retain the protective panel to the vehicle. Such a structure would not work for the generally smooth sidewall of a pickup body.

None of the aforementioned patents teaches a suitable apparatus for protection of the sidewall from incidental scratching or damage from the regular use of a tool box mounted in a pickup bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A protective cover for the outer sidewall of the open bed of a pickup truck may be mounted to an auxiliary rail structure detachably mounted to the existing structure of the pickup truck bed sidewall. A fabric backed sheet of flexible protective vinyl or leather-like material is cut to a generally rectangular shape and is provided with a multiplicity of snap fasteners which mate with complementary fasteners fixed to the auxiliary rail structure. The auxiliary rail structure comprises an elongate rectangular tube generally extending the length of the top of the pickup truck bed sidewall. Bracket members depend at spaced intervals from the rear wall of the tube. The bracket members comprise a first vertical segment fixed to a generally horizontal segment having a free edge. The horizontal segment is provided with one or more openings into which nuts are pressed and held. A vertically adjustable screw is threaded into each captured nut and is provided with a resilient stop on the upper end thereof, the stop engaging the underside of the horizontal section of the top of the truck sidewall. The stop provides a cushion to prevent damage to the top of the truck sidewall. A foam sheet is adhered to the underside of the tube and provides protective engagement of the underside of the tube to the top of the horizontal section of the top of the truck sidewall.

In an alternative embodiment, tool boxes mounted in the bed of the pickup are provided with fasteners on the vertical faces thereof which face the outside of the pickup body. The protective sheet is provided with mating fasteners which mate with the fasteners on the tool boxes, providing a skirt or drape which hangs from the tool boxes and overlies the outer sidewall of the pickup bed.

It is an object of the invention to provide a protective apparatus to protect the sidewall of a pickup bed from damage when objects are moved into and out of the pickup bed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an easily attached protective cover for the sidewall of a pickup bed's sidewall which will protect the sidewall from incidental damage caused by the use of tool boxes mounted in the pickup bed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a supporting rail structure which can support a protective cover as well as pickup bed mountable tool boxes without requiring the puncture of any surface of the pickup bed sidewall.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a removable support rail for the sidewall of a pickup bed which can be easily mounted with the use of simple hand tools.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention which follows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES.

FIG. 1 is front right perspective of a pickup truck having the preferred embodiment sidewall protection invention mounted to its sidewall, the pickup truck shown having been provided with both transversely mounted and longitudinally mounted tool boxes in the bed thereof.

FIG. 2 is cross section view taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1 showing the detail of the structure of the rail member of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the skirt member of the invention with a corner thereof turned back to depict the rear side thereof.

FIG. 4 is a front left perspective of a pickup truck having an open bed and having mounted therein a transverse tool box which is provided with an alternative embodiment of the sidewall protection invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken alonglines 5--5 of FIG. 4 showing the tool box with the skirt member of the alternative embodiment attached thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The prepended embodiment invention is disclosed in FIGS. 1-3. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical pickup truck 2 provided with a cab 4 and an open bed 6. Pickup bed 6 is provided withopposing sidewalls 12 and 14 andtailgate 16 which, with the front wall of the bed 6 defines a cargo carryingcompartment 18 of pickup 2. Atransverse tool box 8 and a longitudinalsidewall tool box 10 have been installed withincargo carrying compartment 18 of bed 6. Mounted along thetop 20 ofsidewall 12 iselongate rail 22 which withflexible skirt members 23 and 24 comprises theinvention 25. On opposingsidewall 14 is mounted anotherrail 21 from which similar skirt members may be hung over the outside ofsidewall 14.

Tool boxes 8 and 10 rest uponrail 22 and are fastened thereto.Skirt members 23 and 24 may be detachably fastened to rail 22 and in FIG. 1 onlyfirst rail 22 may be visualized withskirt members 23 and 24 attached thereto.

Skirt members 23 and 24 may be selectively attached and positioned alongrail 22 such that protection forsidewall 12 is provided belowlongitudinal tool box 10 and below end wall 9 oftransverse tool box 8. Varying widths ofskirt members 23 and 24 may be available with one variation including askirt member 23 which may extend the entire length ofsidewall 12. Asecond skirt member 23 may be sized to extend the length ofsidewall 14 if desired. For example, if pickup 2 is employed to carry branches or other irregular goods or debris and thetool boxes 8 and 10 are removed,skirts 23 and 24 may extend over the entire length of each ofsidewalls 12 and 14 to protect the sidewalls from damage as the cargo is placed in or removed from thecargo compartment 18 of bed 6.

FIG. 2 provides detail of the structure ofrail 22 and its mounting tosidewall 12 by means of the cross section view taken along, lines 2--2 of FIG. 1.Sidewall 12 is provided with a generallyhorizontal top 20 on whichrail 22 rests onfirst pad 30.Rail 22 comprises arectangular tube 28 which is elongate and has abracket 32 depending downwardly from therear wall 34 oftube 28.Bracket 32 may be integral with therear wall 34 oftube 28.Bracket 32 comprises avertical segment 36 and a generallyhorizontal segment 38 formed along the lower edge ofvertical segment 36 and havingfree edge 40.Horizontal segment 38 is formed to be generally parallel to top 20 ofsidewall 12. An internally threadednut 42 is captured inhorizontal segment 38 to receive threadedscrew 44 therewithin.Screw 44 is provided withresilient block 46 at its upper end and anengagement head 48 at its lower level. Asscrew 44 is driven toward the undersurface 50 oftop 20 ofsidewall 12, block 46 will engage undersurface 50 and cushion the upward force ofscrew 44 while allowingtube 28 to be secured to top 20 ofsidewall 12. Asblock 46 engages undersurface 50,horizontal segment 38 is urged away fromtube 28.First pad 30 extends along the length oftube 28 and is adhesively secured thereto to protect top 20 ofsidewall 12 from damage from thetube 28. Asecond pad 52 is adhesively fixed tovertical segment 36 ofbracket 32 to isolatebracket 32 fromterminal wall 54 ofsidewall 12.

Fastener 56 is fixed infront wall 58 oftube 28 ofrail 22. In the preferred embodiment, eachfastener 56 comprises the male element of a snap fastener which has been riveted tofront wall 58. As will be understood by reference to FIG. 1, a multiplicity offasteners 56 are evenly spaced along the length ofrail 22 withmating fasteners 57 ofskirt members 23 and 24 attached tofasteners 56.

FIG. 3 illustrates a skirt member such asskirt 23 ofinvention 25.Skirt 23 comprises a generally rectangular sheet of flexible fabric of at least two layers, thetop layer 60 being of vinyl or leather or the like and thelower layer 62 having a cushioned surface which is soft and will not scratch the finish of a vehicle sidewall such assidewall 12 of pickup 2. Cotton or synthetic fabric may be bonded by sewing or other known means totop layer 60. A multiplicity ofmating fasteners 57 which are complementary tofasteners 56 ofrail 22 are provided near theupper edge 64 ofskirt member 23.Mating fasteners 57 are spaced apart similarly to the spacing offasteners 56 alongrail 22, such thatskirt element 23 may be attached to rail 22 at a plurality of locations.

An alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 depicts a typical pickup truck 2 with atransverse tool box 8 in position withincargo compartment 18 of bed 6.Transverse tool box 8 is of the well known variety which rests on the opposingsidewalls 14 and 12 of bed 6 immediately behind cab 4.Tool box 8 has a pair of swinging covers 80, 82 each hinged at hinge 83 in the middle oftop 78 oftool box 8.Tool box 8 is typically accessed from the side of truck 2 such that the user reaches oversidewall 14 to accesstool box 8 and in so doing may lean againstsidewall 14 and inflict scratches, or may drop items taken fromtool box 8 ontosidewall 14 inflicting surface damage.Apron 90 is selectively fastened totool box 8 when desired.Apron 90 hangs over and rests uponsidewall 14 and presents a barrier of protective sheeting oversidewall 14 belowtool box 8.Apron 90 is contemplated to be of similar construction asskirt member 23 of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 5, a cross section oftool box 8 withapron 90 attached thereto is disclosed.Front wall 84 oftool box 8 is provided with amale snap fastener 92 mounted thereto. A complementaryfemale snap fastener 93 is fixed toapron 90 and receivesmale snap fastener 92 offront wall 84. Hook and loop fasteners and other equivalent means may be used in place of snap fasteners.Apron 90 may be multiple layer sheet material, preferably with a plush surface, the face thereof disposed to overlie thetruck sidewall 14.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION

The user of a pickup truck provided with the preferred embodiment invention may install a transversely mounted tool box or a longitudinal sidewall mounted tool box or both atop the rail of the invention. A suitably sized skirt member can be snapped to the rail below the tool boxes as needed when the tool box is to be opened and objects removed or inserted therein. When the pickup truck is moved, the skirt members may be easily removed and stowed away.

A pickup bed may have the rail members mounted to the sidewalls regardless whether tool boxes are installed in the cargo compartment. When objects are to be loaded into the cargo compartment over a sidewall thereof, suitable width skirt members may be fastened to the rails on each side of the pickup to provide scratch protection for the sidewall as the cargo compartment is loaded or unloaded.

Claims (15)

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A tool box for mounting in the bed of a pickup truck, the tool box resting directly upon the sidewall of the bed of the pickup truck, said tool box having a first face directed outwardly from said bed of said pickup truck, comprising

the first face of said tool box having a plurality of fasteners mounted therealong,

a flexible fabric sheet selectively mountable to said fasteners of said tool box,

said flexible fabric sheet depending from said face of said tool box and covering a substantial part of said sidewall.

2. The tool box of claim 1 wherein

said flexible fabric sheet comprises a first layer of vinyl or leather material,

said flexible fabric sheet having a second layer attached to said first layer,

said second layer comprises soft fabric material,

said second layer touchingly engages said sidewall.

3. The tool box of claim 1 wherein

said fasteners of said first face of said tool box are snap fasteners,

said flexible fabric sheet has a plurality of complementary fasteners fixed thereto along the upper edge thereof,

said complementary fasteners receive said snap fasteners of said tool box.

4. The tool box of claim 2 wherein

said fasteners of said face of said tool box are snap fasteners,

said flexible fabric sheet has a plurality of complementary fasteners fixed thereto along the upper edge thereof,

said complementary fasteners receive said snap fasteners of said tool box.

5. In a tool box mounted within the bed of a pickup truck and resting at least in part directly on an outer wall of the bed of the pickup truck, the tool box having a sidewall thereof disposed generally above said outer wall of said pickup truck, the improvement comprising

a flexible sheet selectively fastened to the sidewall of the tool box to depend below said tool box,

the flexible sheet covering a substantial portion of the sidewall of the bed of the pickup truck on which said tool box rests.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein

said sheet is provided with an upper edge,

a plurality of fasteners is fixed to said sheet along said upper edge thereof,

a plurality of complementary fasteners is disposed upon said sidewall of said tool box.

7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein

said fasteners of said sheet and said tool box are snap fasteners.

8. The improvement of claim 5 wherein

said flexible sheet comprises a first layer of vinyl or leather material,

said flexible sheet having a second layer bonded to said first layer,

said second layer comprises soft fabric material,

said second layer abuts said outer wall of said bed.

9. The improvement of claim 8 wherein

said sheet is fastened to said sidewall of said tool box by a plurality of snap fasteners.

10. A protective skirt for selective attachment to a tool box mounted in the bed of a pickup truck, the pickup truck having a generally vertical sidewall, the tool box having at least one face disposed outwardly from said bed, said tool box resting at least in part directly upon said sidewall comprising

a flexible sheet selectively fastened to the at least one face of the tool box to depend below said tool box,

the flexible sheet covering a substantial portion of the sidewall of the pickup truck.

11. The protective skirt of claim 10 wherein

said flexible sheet is provided with an upper edge,

a plurality of fasteners is fixed to said flexible sheet along said upper edge thereof,

a plurality of complementary fasteners is disposed upon said at least one face of said toolbox.

12. The protective skirt of claim 11 wherein

said fasteners of said sheet and said tool box are snap fasteners.

13. The protective skirt of claim 10 wherein

said flexible sheet comprises a first layer of vinyl or leather material,

said flexible sheet having a second layer bonded to said first layer,

said second layer comprises soft fabric material,

said second layer abuts said sidewall of said pickup truck.

14. The protective skirt of claim 10 wherein

said flexible sheet is selectively fastened to said tool box at a multiplicity of longitudinal positions.

15. The protective skirt of claim 10 wherein

said flexible sheet comprises a plurality of flexible fabric members mounted longitudinally end-to-end to said at least one face of said tool box.

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